Thanks For Life - Window of Opportunity Photos

The shop unit all decked out - Wendy Byatt (l), President of the Durham Elvet Club and Margaret Anderson, Vice President of the Durham Club ready for "customers", with Durham President David Grey peeping through the door.

The messages in the Windows - an open invitation to young and old ...

The "star of the show" - an iron lung (made of wood!) loaned by Beamish Museum.

But - during setting up, we couldn't decide how best to display the iron lung.  This is Wendy Byatt making sure I don't try to get inside it.  Then John Lightly nipped across the way to another retailer ("Sassi") and came back with a suitable prop - now known as John's girl-friend!

Thanks to Julie Proudlock for these last two photos.

Part of the display inside the shop - telling the story of polio and the work of Rotary International.

The "official party" - The Mayor and Mayoress of Durham, Councillor and Mrs Southwell, with the three Club Presidents - Wendy Byatt (Elvet), Richard Britnell (Bede) and David Grey (Durham), and District Governor Tony Fairley.

Then there were the "official photos", for which we wheeled the iron lung out on to the High Street ...

(L to R) Geoff Pratt, John Lightly, Tony Elliot (all Bede), Eric Colling (Durham), Julie Proudlock (Elvet), DG Tony Fairley, Richard Britnell (Bede), Wendy Byatt (Elvet), the Mayoress, David Grey (Durham) and the Mayor.

Julie Proudlock shaking the bucket!

These last two photos were taken by Gilbert Johnston, the professional photographer arranged by the Prince Bishops Centre management.

Part of the display, inviting people to leave a polio message, enter a "polio quiz" - and to enquire about membership of Rotary.

The story of polio in comic strip form which has attracted a lot of attention. 
A PDF version of this "Polio Comic" can be downloaded here.(It may take a few minutes!)

I shall claim editorial privilege because I cannot resist the inclusion of photos of my granddaughters:-

Isabel (6yrs) is engrossed in the Polio Comic while her sister Hannah (3yrs) tries to figure out what it's all about.

And their Granny had the difficult job of explaining what the fearsome-looking iron lung was used for.
The future of Rotary ... ?

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Eric Colling